Your organization has subscribed to collections of digital learning content. How are you going to take advantage of it to enhance your life? Create your brand? Get to where you want to be?
If you're not considering these questions, you soon will. You'll probably receive an invitation to start your learning journey, with a mandate to complete one course by the end of the quarter.
Let’s take a look at how you can make the most of the opportunity.
Make it Personal
Keep in mind that we remember content that is important to us. So before you choose a class, think about how to make the selection personal. Ask yourself: What do I want to learn? What will stimulate my brain? What will keep me engaged?
As you consider different courses, take a few minutes to consider these questions:
- How will this course enhance my life?
- How will it make me a better leader?
- How will it help my team?
- How will it help the people around me?
- How will it help my organization?
Your answers will let you know exactly how the learning will benefit you. Instead of binge-streaming another TV show, you’ll have the motivation to override your brain’s desire to grab that remote. You'll decide to take care of yourself and learn something!
Get the Right Attitude
Your attitude drives your physiology. If you multitask and think the course is not important, what results will you get? Poor ones—because we are lousy multitaskers. Our brain isn't built for it. You'll do a subpar job at everything and feel fatigued in the process, because multitasking is draining.
But if you have the right attitude, you'll be enthusiastic from the start. You'll feel energized. You'll feel focused. You'll feel excited. And your body will respond.
Think about kindergarteners. They can't wait to start the school day. There’s a valuable lesson here: learning is fun! Many of us have forgotten this and would benefit from reconnecting with the joyful feeling of learning something new.
We also should remember that learning is great for your brain. Learning changes your brain chemistry and builds connections between its different parts. It helps you better adapt to change. It fights dementia. It helps you build strong relationships. And it makes you a better leader.
Protect Your Time
Everyone is busy. Everybody has the same amount of time. We all have 24 hours each day—no more, no less. Here's an experiment that can give you a new perspective on time: Set a timer for one minute and just stand there, watching the minute pass. You'll realize it's actually quite a long period of time!
Sometimes I think we don't manage our time very well. We find time for Minecraft or Wordle. We have time to scroll through Instagram reels and surf the Internet aimlessly. But when we want to sit down and learn, we don't have the time. Hmm.
So now you've been given an opportunity to learn! Set aside protected time for yourself to just learn. Block it out on your calendar. It will keep you on the edge and energized. You'll also be better prepared to meet tough challenges like repairing trust, dealing with poor performance and engagement, and having meaningful conversations.
Partner Up
Having a learning buddy is a fantastic way to share questions and frustrations. A buddy can hold you accountable. They can inspire you to achieve and be your best. Find a buddy and commit to completing a class together.
Another benefit of having a buddy is that you can practice new skills on each other. You can try out new things that you want to use on the job. You can share best tips: “Remember what we learned about asking insightful questions? I used that in a conversation today. Here’s what happened…”
You might even make a new best friend!
Mind Maps are Mental Magic
Finally, consider creating a mind map. A mind map helps you organize information by showing the interrelationships between different concepts. You put the main concept in the middle of a page, and related bits of information make up the branches.
How to Create a Mind Map
- Get a 11” by 17” piece of paper.
- Turn it sideways.
- In the center, draw an image that represents what you are learning.
- Draw three to five branches off it that lead to key concepts.
- Now draw images of the related concepts.
Creating a mind map makes it easier for your brain to anchor information.
Transformation Ahead!
Learning is the secret to success. Use these tips to put your company’s learning content—and every other learning opportunity that comes along—to good use!
About the Author
More Content by Vicki Halsey
